Method and apparatus of processing symbology interactions between mobile stations and a control system

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are an apparatus and method of creating, displaying and utilizing quick response (QR) codes to perform processing an application on a mobile device and a control system network. One example method of operation may include identifying a user information parameter and generating a symbology code image that includes the user information parameter and displaying the symbology code on a mobile device display.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and apparatus of identifying andprocessing quick response (QR) codes and performing resulting tasksthrough a corresponding control system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, symbology technologies, such as quick response codes (QRcodes), may be used to perform a variety of interactive transactionswith a control system (i.e., providing a control command or result).Such interactions are generally one-way in nature, but are still used toprovide input to a control system or to receive output from a controlsystem. QR codes may reduce the amount of human hand-keying of data,particularly, complex strings, such as uniform resource identifiers(URIs), session IDs, network IDs, etc.

QR codes have limited functionality with control systems and otherapplications. In order to create a series of operations or controls thatare tied to a QR code interface, additional designs and implementationsmust be refined to accommodate a substantive response to a user'sinteraction with a QR code.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the present invention may include a method thatincludes accessing an application on a mobile device and identifying atleast one user information parameter. The method may also includegenerating a symbology code image that includes the at least one userinformation parameter and displaying the symbology code on a mobiledevice display.

Another example embodiment may include an apparatus including a displayand a processor configured to access an application and identify atleast one user information parameter, generate a symbology code imagethat includes the at least one user specific information parameter, anddisplay the symbology code on the display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A illustrates example network configuration with a control systeminitiated QR code, according to example embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 1B illustrates example network configurations with a mobile stationinitiated QR code, according to example embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example communication session with a mobilestation initiated symbology reader application, according to an examplemethod of operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example data exchange communication sessionbetween a mobile station and a control system, according to an examplemethod of operation of the present invention.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example user annotation participation modelaccording to example embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example symbology interaction control systemaccording to example embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method of operationaccording to an example embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example network entity device configured to storeinstructions, software, and corresponding hardware for executing thesame, according to example embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It will be readily understood that the components of the presentinvention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein,may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of differentconfigurations. Thus, the following detailed description of theembodiments of a method, apparatus, and system, as represented in theattached figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention asclaimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of theinvention.

The features, structures, or characteristics of the invention describedthroughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner inone or more embodiments. For example, the usage of the phrases “exampleembodiments”, “some embodiments”, or other similar language, throughoutthis specification refers to the fact that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentmay be included in at least one embodiment of the present invention.Thus, appearances of the phrases “example embodiments”, “in someembodiments”, “in other embodiments”, or other similar language,throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the samegroup of embodiments, and the described features, structures, orcharacteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments.

In addition, while the term “message” has been used in the descriptionof embodiments of the present invention, the invention may be applied tomany types of network data, such as, packet, frame, datagram, etc. Forpurposes of this invention, the term “message” also includes packet,frame, datagram, and any equivalents thereof. Furthermore, while certaintypes of messages and signaling are depicted in exemplary embodiments ofthe invention, the invention is not limited to a certain type ofmessage, and the invention is not limited to a certain type ofsignaling.

According to example embodiments of the present invention, the termsymbology may refer to any of a number of visual data codingtechnologies commonly referred to as “barcodes.” These barcodes includeboth 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional (e.g., “QR Codes”) representationsof visual data coding. Mobile devices including mobile phones and tabletcomputing devices feature a display and/or a camera. However, the userdevice may be a computer, laptop, mobile, wireless or cellular phone, aPDA, a tablet, a client a server or any device that contains a processorand/or memory, whether that processor or memory performs a functionrelated to an embodiment of the invention.

The control surface may represent a user interface (UI) for a controlsystem featuring a display and/or camera. A control system may be anetworked computing device that executes a customizable program allowingfor scheduling and control of various assets, such as but not limited tolighting, motor control, video and audio switching, monitors projectors,and computer interactions in general. Server computers may be used toprovide either content (e.g., spreadsheets, documents, presentations,video playback), databases, or applications. Video servers are devicesthat provide streaming video content to a video switcher, projector, orsome other device.

If user information is not known by the system then information may bestored and parsed for one or more commands to initiate a controlfunction used to operate a remote electronic device controlled by thecontrol system, such as a peripheral light, motor control, a computerapplication, a relay, a binary logic signal interface (simple on/offreflection of state; e.g., a remote trigger), communications interface(e.g., serial port or network port whether wired or wireless), dataservice whether existing on a particular machine, or as adistributed/cloud service.

A control message may be directed to a particular device, but may alsobe updated along with a token/preference/setting for somedistributed/cloud service or application. The corresponding setting, inturn, may be enacted by autonomous entities or applications. As aresult, a message may be transmitted to the ultimate application that iscurrently operating without even having knowledge of the existence orparticular operations of the application.

Example embodiments provide symbology technology which is used toperform a variety of interactive transactions with a control system,such as identify data from a mobile device to a control system (i.e.,user-provided symbol), identify and/or authenticate a specific userand/or user device with the control system, customize a user's controlsurface and user interface (UI), recall user-customized presets toenvironment (e.g., lighting, HVAC, active devices, video sourceselection). The control system and symbology may also be used toregister an activity room and/or certain resources as being “in-use”,and activate or revoke permissions for user-locked features of a controlsystem (e.g., licensed features, security controls, or controlledresource(s)) including parental control in a home environment. Thecontrol system may also provide a recall for user-scheduled content on amanaged content server and/or a presentation system, and permit inputtedhyperlinks or bookmarks from a mobile device to the control system or acorresponding peripheral device.

FIG. 1A illustrates an example symbology interaction 100 according toexample embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1A, the user 110 may operate amobile station 114 (i.e., smartphone), which is configured with ascanner, camera or other identification device (not shown) that isconfigured to view a QR code 118 provided on a computer display device116 connected to a computer or server 120. The QR code 116 may bepresented to the user to allow a login function, an information sharingfunction, or other communication function.

FIG. 1B illustrates another example symbology interaction 150 accordingto example embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1B, the user 110 may initiatea command, request, data authentication, etc., and the user agentapplication may generate a resulting QR code 128 on his or her ownsmartphone device. The code may then be presented to a computer 120 andcorresponding camera device 130. As a result, the user may be identifiedby the QR code provided and a message may be displayed on the displaydevice acknowledging the user's presence.

In FIG. 1A, a transfer of data is performed from the control systemcomputer 120 to a mobile device 114 by a symbol 118. Examples of suchinformation transferred may include a one-time guest login credentialfor wireless networks interfaced with the control system. Sharinghyperlinks or bookmarks from a control system or the attached peripheralor computer 120 to the mobile device 114, a hand-off control to a mobileapplication (e.g., a remote frame buffer (RFB) to a touchpanel displayfrom the mobile device).

In FIG. 1B, for cases of transferring data from a mobile device 114 to acontrol system computer 120, the control system must employ an accessorycamera 130 (e.g., touchpanel control surface 116 with integral camera)and an application to process the symbology. In operation, the userwould initiate an action by activating a reader application on thecontrol surface, as well as a corresponding application, such as a userID application on the mobile device 114. Once the mobile deviceapplication generates the symbology, the user would hold the screen ofthe mobile device within view of the control system's camera asillustrated in FIG. 1B. Upon a successful read of the symbology presenton the mobile station display, the control system would perform theaction directed by the mobile application, for example, to configure ameeting room for the user's preferences (e.g., projector on/off,automatic screen down/up, software application launched, user filesaccessed, etc.). The user's credentials, preferences and other relatedinformation may be stored in a databank associated with thecorresponding server 120 of the control system.

During the procedure of transferring data from the control systemcomputer 120 to a mobile device 114, the control system must employ anattached display 116, such as a touchpanel to generate symbology toencode the data. The mobile device 114 incorporates a camera (not shown)and utilizes an application capable of reading the symbology andperforming corresponding functions. An example would be an remote framebuffer (RFB) application on a mobile device. If a user desires to act ona touchpanel via a mobile device, the user would start the RFBapplication on the mobile device and push a control on the touchpanel toactivate screen-sharing. If allowed by the control system, thetouchpanel could then display a symbology code (i.e., QR code) tocommunicate corresponding network information, such as an IP address,port number, a session key for security to the mobile application, etc.The mobile device would identify the QR code, process the informationincluded in the QR code and automatically login without delay. Thiscommunication and interaction scenario reduces the user's interaction toa simple series of button selections without any data string inputs orother information submissions (i.e., login username, IP address, etc.),which can be easily mistyped or forgotten.

A user application may generate and present a one-time form or QR codethat can later be reset if necessary. The application may collect theuser data and securely store it in a device's non-volatile storage viaany number of encryption schemes, which could be employed to secure thedata depending on the device type. Such an operation may be based on theoperating system of the mobile station. In order to preserve security,the user data should be encrypted/hashed before forming the QR code.Data encryption standard (DES) is commonly used for this purpose, butother algorithms are available and may be used as well. There areseveral different common ways to encode information in either a QR codeor traditional barcode. The QR has a higher density of informationavailable, and efficient error correction. An alternative method forobtaining the user data would be via a certificate generated on a userdatabase and loaded onto the devices via some other means (e.g., networkconnection, flash drive, etc).

FIG. 2 illustrates an example symbology interaction between a mobilestation and a control system according to example embodiments. Referringto FIG. 2, the symbology interaction network 200 may include a user 201operating a mobile station device 202 with a display 204. The mobiledevice may include a code generation application that is capable ofreceiving input commands and creating corresponding QR codes on thedisplay of the mobile device. Once a symbol or code is generated theuser may bring the code within view of a camera 212 associated with thecontrol surface device 210, which may include a computer (not shown) anda display device 222. A video alignment feedback function 214 mayprovide a focusing and processing function used to identify the codeproperly and interpret the corresponding data associated with the code.

Once the code has been received by the camera 212, the user may beidentified by a user databank and an application-specific token may begenerated and sent to a central controller device 230. The program codeinformation may be received and interpreted to control one or morecontrolled devices/peripherals, such as, lights 240, a display screen242, a device projector 244, a switch 246 and/or a device application248. A parse command function 232 may be a script used to parse out anycommands from the user generated control information.

In addition, the user may interact with the control surface of themobile device to launch a symbology reader application. The applicationactivates the camera and optionally provides a feedback video for helpin QR code alignment. For example, the user displays the mobile devicedisplay 204 (e.g., mobile phone, tablet computer, wristwatch withembedded computer and display screen, etc.) within view of the camera212 and activates an application that shares information via a symbologycode. The user interacts with the mobile device application to produce asymbology code on the display. The user may hold the mobile devicescreen within view of the control surface camera 212, utilizing afeedback window (if present) on the control surface for help inalignment/aiming. As a result, the control surface provides anynecessary feedback (visual and/or audible) upon successful reading ofthe symbol. The control surface device 210 then processes the data givenby the symbol. For example, the symbol could have encoded a command toswitch a particular video switcher input to a specific output. Thecontrol surface device would forward the control request to the centralcontroller 230, which would then process the control request. Otherexamples may include generating and sharing a hyperlink to cause adisplayed computer source to navigate a browser to a link provided as analternative type of input code. Additional functions of the user inputmay provide authentication and linking of a phone to act as a controlinput, passing hotspot network credentials, and sending contactinformation to a database.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example symbology interaction between a mobilestation and a control system according to example embodiments. Likeelements presented in FIG. 2 may be the same as the correspondingelements illustrated in FIG. 3A. Referring to FIG. 3A, the symbologyinteraction network 250 may include a user 201 operating a mobilestation device 202 with a display 204. The mobile device 202 may includea code generation application that is capable of receiving inputcommands and creating corresponding QR codes on the display of themobile device. Once a symbol or code is generated, the user may bringthe code within view of a camera 212 associated with the control surfacedevice 210, which may include a computer (not shown) and a displaydevice 222. A video alignment feedback function 214 may provide afocusing and processing function used to identify the code properly andinterpret the corresponding data associated with the code.

In FIG. 3A, a data exchange session may be activated between the controlsystem components and the mobile device 202. For example, transferringof user contact information from an address book application on themobile device or a remote database, transferring a web link,transmitting a token to join an annotation session and/or transmittingcredentials for pairing the mobile device 202 with a Bluetooth or WiFiaccess point connection.

In operation, the user 201 may bring the mobile device 202 having acamera 203 within view of the display device 222 on a control surfacedevice 210. The control surface may be operating an application thatgenerates symbology for some particular action. When the user executes acompatible application on the mobile device and scans the controlsurface's generated symbol with the mobile device camera 203, someaction dictated by the symbology may occur. For example, suppose anetwork-enabled annotation session (i.e., live presentation,teleconference) is active with various devices in the control system.Also, assuming an application exists for the mobile device platform thatallows participation in the annotation session, then when the mobiledevice annotation application scans a symbol from the control surface(e.g., QR code), the mobile device 202 is able to decode WiFiaccess/credentials from the symbol credentials to join the network as aguest user, as well as a code to allow a unique join operation of theannotation session. The annotation session may include a least oneannotation device 204 (i.e., display device) operated by a annotationserver 207 that is accessible via a network 213 coupled to a wirelessaccess point 207. The above-noted example of FIG. 3A, is just oneinteractive example. Many other example can be imagined for one-waycommunication of information out of a control system to minimize humandata entry, enabling interaction with mobile devices.

According to example embodiments, it should be noted that for anexchange of data from a control system to the mobile device, the displayof the symbology need not be limited to the display on the controlsurface. Rather, any display technology for which the control system mayoverlay the symbology graphic may be utilized to communicate theinformation. As a specific example, the described example of joining anannotation session may be carried out by displaying the session key viaa QR code on a projected display that utilizes the same graphic overlaycapability used by the annotation application itself. As a result, theannotation component attached to the control system and projector mayrender the symbol from data provided by the control system (i.e., thesession key).

FIG. 3B illustrates an example annotation session according to exampleembodiments of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3B, anannotation application is used for an application to be written formobile devices that could display the source media as well as overlaythe annotation graphics. In order to participate in an annotation, adevice would need to be authorized as illustrated in FIG. 3B. Forexample, the annotation session 300 may provide a session host 302establishing the annotation session 310 and establishing a collaboration312 for other guests to join. The first guest 304 may receive aninvitation message 314 to join the collaboration effort. The system mayencode a session ID and generate a corresponding QR code 316 fordisplay. As a result, the guest 304 may scan the QR code from anannotation client application 318 allowing the annotation client to jointhe session 320. Next, a video and annotation graphics application maybe shared 322 with another guest 306 who may also join the collaborationsimilar to guest 304. Any of the users may perform collaborative editing324 to update the collaborative session and the session may end when theclients log out and the session is retired 326.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example symbology interaction control system 400configured to perform operations according to example embodiments of thepresent invention. Referring to FIG. 4, The system 400 may access anapplication on a remote mobile device and identify at least one userinformation parameter responsive to a user action, or automatically inan effort to generate symbology and access the control system. The usermay initiate the action by controlling the symbology applicationmanually, or the symbology application may detect the control system viaa Bluetooth or WiFi connection and generate the symbology codeautomatically in an effort to identify the user of the mobile device andgain access to the control system. The user information may be stored inthe symbology information databank 440 and retrieved by the informationretrieval module 410. Further operations may include generating asymbology code image on the mobile device that includes the userspecific information parameter and displaying the symbology code on amobile device display. As a result, the control system 400 may have acamera or image identifying device and may scan and process thesymbology code. The information included in the symbology code may becross-referenced with pre-stored user information that is stored in theinformation databank 440.

The user information parameter(s) provided by the mobile station mayidentify at least one user preference. If the user information is notknown by the system 400 then the information modification module 420 maystore the information and parse one or more commands from the userinformation to initiate a control function used to operate a remoteelectronic device controlled by the control system, such as a peripherallight, motor control, and/or a computer application. Examples of theuser information may include a username, password and/or mobile deviceinformation. A generated symbology code on the mobile device may bedisplayed to a control device associated with the control systemresulting in the automatic logging of the mobile device into acommunication network operated by the control device. The mobile devicemay then receive wireless communication access responsive to the mobiledevice being logged into the communication network. Any information notpreviously stored in the control system 400 may be identified and storedin the databank 440 by the information updating module 430.

One example method of operation is illustrated in the flow diagram ofFIG. 5 Referring to FIG. 5 the flow diagram 400 includes accessing anapplication on a mobile device at operation 52 and identifying at leastone user information parameter at operation 504. The method may alsoinclude generating a symbology code image that includes the at least oneuser information parameter at operation 506 and displaying the symbologycode on a mobile device display at operation 508.

The operations of a method or algorithm described in connection with theembodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in acomputer program executed by a processor, or in a combination of thetwo. A computer program may be embodied on a computer readable medium,such as a storage medium. For example, a computer program may reside inrandom access memory (“RAM”), flash memory, read-only memory (“ROM”),erasable programmable read-only memory (“EPROM”), electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memory (“EEPROM”), registers, hard disk, aremovable disk, a compact disk read-only memory (“CD-ROM”), or any otherform of storage medium known in the art.

An exemplary storage medium may be coupled to the processor such thatthe processor may read information from, and write information to, thestorage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integralto the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in anapplication specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”). In the alternative,the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components.For example FIG. 6 illustrates an example network element 600, which mayrepresent any of the above-described network components, etc.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, a memory 610 and a processor 620 may bediscrete components of the network entity 600 that are used to executean application or set of operations. The application may be coded insoftware in a computer language understood by the processor 620, andstored in a computer readable medium, such as, the memory 610. Thecomputer readable medium may be a non-transitory computer readablemedium that includes tangible hardware components in addition tosoftware stored in memory. Furthermore, a software module 630 may beanother discrete entity that is part of the network entity 600, andwhich contains software instructions that may be executed by theprocessor 620. In addition to the above noted components of the networkentity 600, the network entity 600 may also have a transmitter andreceiver pair configured to receive and transmit communication signals(not shown).

Although an exemplary embodiment of the system, method, and computerreadable medium of the present invention has been illustrated in theaccompanied drawings and described in the foregoing detaileddescription, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements,modifications, and substitutions without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims.For example, the capabilities of the systems illustrated in FIGS. 1A,1B, 2, 3A, 3B and 4 can be performed by one or more of the modules orcomponents described herein or in a distributed architecture. Forexample, all or part of the functionality performed by the individualmodules, may be performed by one or more of these modules. Further, thefunctionality described herein may be performed at various times and inrelation to various events, internal or external to the modules orcomponents. Also, the information sent between various modules can besent between the modules via at least one of: a data network, theInternet, a voice network, an Internet Protocol network, a wirelessdevice, a wired device and/or via plurality of protocols. Also, themessages sent or received by any of the modules may be sent or receiveddirectly and/or via one or more of the other modules.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed, it is to be understood that the embodiments described areillustrative only and the scope of the invention is to be defined solelyby the appended claims when considered with a full range of equivalentsand modifications (e.g., protocols, hardware devices, software platformsetc.) thereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: accessing an application ona mobile device; identifying at least one user information parameter;generating a symbology code image that includes the at least one userinformation parameter; and displaying the symbology code on a mobiledevice display.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one userinformation parameter identifies at least one user preference.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the at least one user information parameteris a control function used to operate a remote electronic device.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, wherein the remote electronic device comprises atleast one of a light, motor control, computer application, relay, binarylogic signal interface and a communications interface.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the at least one user information parameter comprises ausername, password and mobile device information.
 6. The method of claim1, further comprising: displaying the symbology code to a controldevice; and automatically logging the mobile device into a communicationnetwork operated by the control device responsive to the displayedsymbology code.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: receivingwireless communication access at the mobile device responsive to loggingthe mobile device into the communication network.
 8. An apparatuscomprising: a display; and a processor configured to access anapplication and identify at least one user information parametergenerate a symbology code image that includes the at least one userspecific information parameter, and display the symbology code on thedisplay.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one userinformation parameter identifies at least one user preference.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one user informationparameter is a control function used to operate a remote electronicdevice.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the remote electronicdevice comprises at least one of a light, motor control, computerapplication, relay, binary logic signal interface and a communicationsinterface.
 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one userinformation parameter comprises a username, password and mobile deviceinformation.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor isfurther configured to display the symbology code to a control device andautomatically log a user into a communication network operated by thecontrol device responsive to the displayed symbology code.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a receiver configured toreceive wireless communication access responsive to logging the userinto the communication network.
 15. A non-transitory computer readablestorage medium configured to store instructions that when executed causea processor to perform: accessing an application on a mobile device;identifying at least one user information parameter; generating asymbology code image that includes the at least one user specificinformation parameter; and displaying the symbology code on a mobiledevice display.
 16. The non-transitory computer readable storage mediumof claim 15, wherein the at least one user information parameteridentifies at least one user preference.
 17. The non-transitory computerreadable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one userinformation parameter is a control function used to operate a remoteelectronic device.
 18. The non-transitory computer readable storagemedium of claim 17, wherein the remote electronic device comprises atleast one of a light, motor control, computer application, relay, binarylogic signal interface and a communications interface.
 19. Thenon-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein theat least one user information parameter comprises a username, passwordand mobile device information.
 20. The non-transitory computer readablestorage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configuredto perform: displaying the symbology code to a control device;automatically logging the mobile device into a communication networkoperated by the control device responsive to the displayed symbologycode; and receiving wireless communication access at the mobile deviceresponsive to logging the mobile device into the communication network.